CMCP Annual Business Conference

The Annual Business Conference is CMCP’s flagship multi-day legal conference that brings together more than 400 attorneys from law firms, corporate legal departments, and public agencies across California to build relationships, create business opportunities, attend substantive CLE programming, and strengthen opportunity and inclusion in the legal profession.

The conference is especially known for:

• High-level networking between in-house counsel and outside counsel
• Corporate Connections, CMCP’s signature “speed networking” program
• Panels featuring general counsel, legal executives, judges, and law firm leaders
• Professional development and business development opportunities
• Community-building among attorneys at every stage of their careers
• Programming focused on leadership, inclusion, AI, employment trends, litigation, and the future of the legal profession

CMCP welcomes all attorneys to attend the Annual Business Conference, which attracts a broad cross-section of the California legal community, including:

• General Counsel, Chief Legal Officers, and senior in-house counsel from corporations and public agencies
• Law firm partners, counsel, associates, and legal business development professionals
• Diverse attorneys and their allies from across the legal profession
• Legal department leaders focused on outside counsel relationships, talent development, and inclusion initiatives
• Early-career attorneys, Ambassadors Council members, and rising legal leaders
• Sponsors, recruiters, judges, bar leaders, and legal service providers

The conference is especially known for bringing together attorneys from corporate legal departments and outside law firms in an environment centered on relationship-building, business development, professional growth, and community.

Many attendees participate specifically to:

• Build relationships through Corporate Connections
• Learn about emerging legal and business issues
• Expand professional networks
• Explore career and client development opportunities
• Support inclusion and advancement within the legal profession

Corporate Connections is CMCPs signature business development and networking program held during the Annual Business Conference. It is designed to create meaningful, structured opportunities for law firm attorneys to meet directly with in-house counsel from leading corporations, public agencies, and legal departments across California.

The program is often described as a “speed networking” experience for the legal profession. Participating law firm attorneys are matched for a series of scheduled meetings — typically about 20 minutes each — with in-house counsel based on practice area interests, legal needs, and business development goals.

What makes Corporate Connections unique is that it combines:

• Focused one-on-one relationship building
• Exposure to multiple legal departments in a single afternoon
• Opportunities for diverse attorneys to expand visibility and access
• Practical conversations about outside counsel expectations, emerging legal needs, and relationship development

The program typically includes:

• A luncheon for participating in-house counsel
• Multiple rounds of scheduled meetings/interviews
• Networking opportunities throughout the conference
• Complimentary full conference registration for participating in-house counsel representatives

Corporate Connections has become one of CMCP’s most sought-after programs because it creates authentic opportunities for attorneys to build long-term professional relationships in an environment centered on community, opportunity, and inclusion.